GAROWE (KAAB TV) – In a significant move, Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni announced today that his administration is open to negotiating with Mogadishu over the contentious issues that led Puntland to cut ties with the Somali Federal Government.
Deni, however, emphasized that any negotiations must be transparent and must involve an international guarantor to ensure fairness and accountability.
Referring to recent incidents concerning the Southwest State, President Deni warned against certain elements in Mogadishu, accusing them of pushing citizens into difficult situations.
Deni also drew parallels with Somaliland, which declared independence from the rest of Somalia after atrocities were committed against its people.
This is the first time Puntland’s leadership has expressed a willingness to engage in talks with the Somali Federal Government, signaling a potential shift in the strained relationship between Puntland and Mogadishu.
In March, Puntland severed all relations with the central government, raising concerns of further fragmentation in the already war-torn nation. Puntland accused Mogadishu of denying equitable “sharing of power, resources, and foreign aid” among Somalia’s regions.
Puntland is not alone in its opposition to central control. Other regions, including the breakaway republic of Somaliland along the Gulf of Aden and semi-autonomous states like Jubaland in the far south, have also resisted Mogadishu’s authority, with rival warlords vying for control.
While relatively stable compared to southern Somalia, Puntland faces its own challenges, including pirate gangs operating along its coastline and militias vying for power. Additionally, the al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab operates in the region’s Golis mountains.
Puntland first declared itself an autonomous state in 1998, seven years after the collapse of Siad Barre’s regime in Mogadishu, which triggered a cycle of civil unrest that continues to this day.